Election security is a top priority across the United States, with concerns about malign foreign interference, DDoS attacks against election websites, security of voting machines and their software, insider and third-party threats and “swatting” of local election officials at the forefront of everyone’s minds.

At the center of all these threats is the objective to alter the outcome of political races. In the end, outcomes are determined by counting votes. With elections managed at the state level, a variety of voting systems are used, featuring different voting machines, tabulators, and software, as well as varying levels of resources to address these risks. Although voting machines are not directly connected to the internet, they are still vulnerable to various forms of interference.

Government and industry experts discussed strategies that state and local officials can implement to protect the 2024 election and bolster public trust in its results.